10 Things to Do After the Sale

The paperwork is signed and all your hard work is finally coming to an end – but what should you do next? It’s in the days immediately after the sale where REALTORS® can really shine, build on their successes, and work towards the next sale. Here are 10 things you can do after a sale to keep that winning streak going.

Deliver a Housewarming Gift

For new buyers, closing gifts are a great touch and put a nice exclamation point on, “Thank you for your business!” If you know your clients tastes and hobbies, you can customize a gift, but it’s just as nice to give a gift card to a home improvement center like Lowe’s.

Find me on Facebook!

A lot of people keep in touch with friends, relatives, and coworkers on social networks and would be glad to add you on Facebook. Getting access to a client’s social circle is a good way to find potential clients who may have a lot of overlapping friends, as well as a perfect way to keep in touch with past clients. If you’re concerned about privacy, Facebook allows you to create private lists that you can place clients in to limit the amount of personal information you divulge.

Capture the Moment

Few images are more iconic than a family standing outside their new home. Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for a family portrait which you can easily take and share with them. They’ll cherish the photo, likely put it on Facebook, and you can do the same – concrete proof of your success. Clients can tag you when they post the photo and word could spread in their social circles. If all goes well, their entire social sphere could view you as the person to see when buying or selling a house. It’s a little thing, but a picture is truly worth a thousand words.

Add Contacts to Your Email Newsletter List

While adding your clients to your records, don’t forget to add them to any email newsletters you produce. Send your clients a congratulatory email after closing, perhaps with incentives to refer, then keep them in your contacts for periodic updates. Email is a powerful tool and you never know when your client will be looking to do business again.

Ask for a Referral and Stay in Touch

The majority of buyers and sellers said they would use the same real estate agent again when they were back in the market. Capitalize on the success of a new purchase or sale and ask for a referral. Then be sure to record the details and keep in touch with your clients. You never know when they’ll be calling you in the future.

Be a Helpful Resource

Buyers might be new to the area and if they don’t have family or connections, you might be their only source for information. Grocery stores, mechanics, good restaurants – offer to orient your clients to the area and make their transition as easy as possible.

Strike While the Iron is Hot

You have a “Sold” sign on one house in a neighborhood – strike while the iron is hot and reach out to prospects looking for homes in the area. You have concrete proof that you can find a match and word can spread organically through the happy family that you’re trustworthy, reliable, and get results. Hopefully it leads to a few more “Sold” signs on lawns in the near future.

Toot Your Own Horn

Celebrate your achievements by doing a little self-promotion. If you have a blog or social media networks, be sure to tout another sale and show that you’re an agent who can get results. You never know who’s listening.

Update Your Advertising

If you’re advertising in local newspapers or other publications, you might want to update your ads to reflect recent successes. If you aren’t advertising, perhaps a few successful sales in a row will convince you that you’ve built enough of a reputation to get your name out there. Don’t be afraid to celebrate your success and build your brand.

Update Your Files

While the sale is still fresh in your mind, update your files with all the information you’ll need to remember the transaction. What lessons did you learn from this sale? Who were the parties involved? Did the sale generate any potential leads? Use each sale as a learning opportunity and each client as a potential source of advertising. Remember their names and the situations of the sale to follow up with cards around the holidays or even on the anniversary of their signing.

Do you have any additional tips you use to stay productive? Share them with us in the comments!